No. 4 Commodores defeat Bulldogs 9-2 in series opener
No. 4 Commodores defeat Bulldogs 9-2 in series opener
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Fourth-ranked Vanderbilt defeated Georgia 9-2 on Friday night.
In the second inning, graduate Will David (2-for-4, 2 RBI) put the Bulldogs out in front 2-0 when he connected for his third home run of the year. Junior Parks Harber was on with a leadoff single. It was only the second home run that sophomore left-hander Carter Holton had surrendered this year. Vanderbilt answered in the bottom of the inning when RJ Austin tied the game with a two-run shot, his fourth of the season.
Vanderbilt (21-5, 7-0 SEC) erupted for four runs on three hits in the fifth inning to build a 6-2 advantage. Jonathan Vastine led off with a triple and then the next two Commodores reached on four-pitch walks. RJ Schreck cleared the bases with a three-run double. The scoring in the frame was capped by a sacrifice fly by RJ Austin to make it 7-2. In the sixth, Parker Noland hit his sixth home run, a solo shot for an 8-2 advantage.
Holton improved to 4-0, pitching seven innings and allowing two runs on three hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. Georgia junior starting pitcher Jaden Woods fell to 3-1 as he was lifted in the sixth inning after allowing eight runs on nine hits with five strikeouts.
The Bulldogs dropped to 15-11 overall and 1-6 in SEC play. They’re now on a two-game losing skid.
Georgia redshirt freshman infielder Charlie Condon had his hitting streak snapped at 24 games, just four shy of the school mark set by Josh Hudson in 1999. Condon finished 0-for-3 but, although he did draw a walk to extend his on-base streak to 25 games.
"Vanderbilt is playing at a really high level now,” said Georgia head coach Scott Stricklin said after the loss to the Commodores. “I thought we showed some fight, but the fifth inning was the difference. Vanderbilt made some outstanding plays defensively.
“Parks (Harber) hit a ball extremely well, and their centerfielder, who is the best one in college baseball, runs it down and crashes into the wall,” Stricklin continued. “It was a great play and I’m glad he’s all right. We made some plays out there too today by Will (David) and Connor (Tate), and we turned a couple of double plays that helped us.”